Aeschylus Persians 176

Herbert Weir Smyth (Translator)

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Persians. Aeschylus. Herbert Weir Smyth (Translator). New York. 1922.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Persians (English) (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, translator. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922. (Modernized by Perseus.))

Editions (7)
Πέρσαι First1KGreek (Aeschyli Tragoediae. Sidgwick, Arthur, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 159-255 focus
Πέρσαι Perseus (Aeschylus, Volume 1. Smyth, Herbert Weir, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1922.) — 176 focus
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Guilielmus Dindorfius, 1882.) — 176 focus
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. Gottfried Hermann, 1852.) — 176 focus
πολλοῖς μὲν ἀεὶ νυκτέροις ὀνείρασιν
175
ξύνειμι, ἀφ' οὗπερ παῖς ἐμὸς στείλας στρατὸν
Ἰαόνων γῆν οἴχεται πέρσαι θέλων·
ΠΕΡΣΑΙ. 93
ἀλλ᾽ οὔτι πω τοιόνδ᾽ ἐναργὲς εἰδόμην
ὡς τῆς πάροιθεν εὐφρόνης, λέξω δέ σοι·
ἐδοξάτην μοι δύο γυναῖκ᾽ εἰείμονε,
180
ἣ μὲν πέπλοισι Περσικοῖς ἐσκημένη,
ἣ δ᾽ αὖτε Δωρικοῖσιν, εἰς ὄψιν μολεῖν,
μεγέθει τε τῶν νῦν ἐκπρεπεστάτα πολὺ
κάλλει τ᾽ ἀμώμῳ, καὶ κασιγνήτα γένους
ταὐτοῦ· πάτραν δ᾽ ἔναιον ἢ μὲν Ἑλλάδα
185
κλήρῳ λαχοῦσα γαῖαν, ἣ δὲ βάρβαρον.
τούτω στάσιν τιν ὡς ἐγὼ δόκουν ὁρᾶν
τεύχειν ἐν ἀλλήλαισι. παῖς δ᾽ ἐμὸς μαθὼν
κατεῖχε καπράϋνεν, ἅρμασιν δ' υπο
ζεύγνυσιν αὐτὴ καὶ λέπαδν ἐπ᾽ αὐχένων
190
τίθησι· χἢ μὲν τῇδ᾽ ἐπυργοῦτο στολῇ,
ἐν ἡνίαισι δ᾽ εἶχεν εὔαρκτον στόμα,
ἡ δ᾽ ἐσφάδαζε, καὶ χεροῖν ἔντη δίφρου
διασπαράσσει, καὶ ξυναρπάζει βία
ἄνευ χαλινῶν, καὶ ζυγὸν θραύει μέσον.
195
πίπτει δ᾽ ἐμὸς παῖς, καὶ πατὴρ παρίσταται
Δαρεῖος οἰκτείρων σφέ· τὸν δ᾽ ὅπως ὁρᾷ
Ξέρξης, πέπλους ῥήγνυσιν ἀμφὶ σώματι.
ΠΕΡΣΑΙ (OCR draft) Experimental (ΠΕΡΣΑΙ. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 176 focus
Πέρσαι (OCR draft) Experimental (Πέρσαι. N. Wecklein, 1885.) — 176 focus
πολλοῖς μὲν ἀεὶ νυκτέροις ὀνείρασιν
ξύνειμ᾽, ἀφ᾽ οὔπερ παῖς ἐμὸς στείλας στρατὸν
180
Ἰαόνων γῆν οἴχεται πέρσαι θέλων·
ἀλλ᾽ οὔτι πω τοιόνδ᾽ ἐναργὲς εἰδόμην
ὡς τῆς πάροιθεν εὐφρόνης, λέξω δέ σοι.
ἐδοξάτην μοι δύο γυναῖκ᾽ εὐείμονε,
ἣ μὲν πέπλοισι Περσικοῖς ἠσκημένη,
185
ἣ δ᾽ αὖτε Δωρικοῖσιν, εἰς ὄψιν μολεῖν,
μεγέθει τε τῶν νῦν ἐκπρεπεστάτα πολὺ
κάλλει τ᾽ ἀμώμω, καὶ κασιγνήτα γένους
Aeschyli Persae (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschyli Persae. Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff, 1914.) — 176 focus
Translations (8)
The Persians. (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians.. Theodore Alois Buckley, 1849.) — 176 focus
I have been continually haunted by many dreams in the night, ever since my son, having fitted forth his armament, went to the land of the Ionians, purposing to lay it waste. But I never yet saw any so plain, as on the night just passed, -and I will tell it thee. There seemed to appear before two women 2
in fair attire-the one robed in Persian vestments, but the other in Doric, both in statue by far the most comely of those who live now-a-days, and in beauty beyond rebuke, and sisters of the same family. And as to country-they inhabited, the one, having had it assigned to her by lot, the land of Hellas,-the other the barbarian 3
; these two, as 1 fancied I saw, had a feud the one with the other: and my son, when he heard it, was checking and soothing them, and he yokes them beneath his car, and places a collar on their necks. And the one towered loftily in these trappings, and had a tractable mouth in the reins: but the other kept plunging, and tears in pieces with her hands the harness of the car, and whirls it violently along without the bit, and snaps the yoke in the middle: and my son falls, and his sire Darius stands beside him, commiserating him; and when Xerxes sees him, he rends his robes about his person.
LES PERSES (OCR draft) Experimental (LES PERSES. Paul Mazon, 1920-1925.) — 176 focus
à des conseillers pleins de bon vouloir.
The Persians (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians. Robert Potter, 1779.) — 176 focus
Adviſe me then you, whoſe experienc'd age
195
Supports the ſlate of Persia: prudence guides
Your councils, always kind and faithful to me.
Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli (OCR draft) Experimental (Eschilo, I Persiani: traduzione italiana di Ettore Romagnoli. Ettore Romagnoli, 1922.) — 176 focus
Sempre, da quando il figliuol mio l'esercito
spinse, e partí, bramoso di distruggere
185
la lonia terra, fra notturni sogni
vivo commista.
E niun fu mai sí chiaro
come la scorsa notte.
Or te lo narro.
190
Pareano innanzi a me giunger due femmine
in vesti adorne: un manto persïano
cingeva questa, e quella un manto dorico:
e di statura molto soverchiavano
le donne d'ora, e belle senza pесса,
195
e d'un sangue, sorelle.
Ed abitavano
contrade avute in sorte: ellène questa,
barbare quella.
Or, fra le due sorgeva,
200
pareami, una contesa.
E il figliuol mio
se ne avvede, e le frena, e le ammonisce,
ed ai carri le aggioga, e impone redini
alle cervici.
205
E in questa foggia, l'una
si pompeggiava, ed adattava docile
alle briglie la bocca: invece l'altra
relutta fiera, e con le man' gli arnesi
strappa del cocchio, e rompe a mezzo il giogo,
210
e senza freno lo trascina a forza.
Il figliuol mio giú piomba;
e appare Dario
suo padre, e lo compiange.
E appena Serse
215
lo vede, strappa dalle membra i panni.
Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Persae: versio Latina Ioannis Sanravii. Ioannes Sanravius, 1555.) — 176 focus
Girca multa quidem nocturna insomnia ſemper
Verfor, ab eo tempore, quo filius meus mittes exerci
145
In Ionia proficifcitur, depopulari ea uolens:
Sed nunquam tam manifestum ſomnium uidi,
Quàm hac tranſacta nocte, tibi uerò dicam.
Viſæ mihi funt duæ mulieres eleganter ornate:
Vna quidem Perſicis peplis ueſtita,
150
Altera rurfus Doricis, im uiſtonem uenire,
Magnitudine dearū que nuc funt lõgé decětißima,
Pulchritudine irreprehenfibili, germana generis
Eiufdem, patriam habitaui hec Grecanicam
Sorte aßecuta terram, altera barbaram.
155
He ſeditionem, ut uidebar uidere,
Parabant inter fe:filius uerò meus hoc percipiens
Continuit: mitigauit:fub curru uerò
Coniugat ipfas, & collaria ceruicibus
Imponit.
160
At una quide ornabatur bac stola Perfica,
Habenis uerò habuit ſubditum os.
Altera uerò impetum fecit, manibusq; currui impost
Dißipauit,& fregitui.
Sine frenis erat, lacerauitq; iugum per medium.
165
Cadit meus filius, pater adeft
Darius, miſerens illius.hunc cum uidet
Xerxes, lacerat ueftes, que circum corpus habebat.
The Persians (OCR draft) Experimental (The Persians. Anna Swanwick, 1886.) — 176 focus
English (E. D. A. Morshead, 1908) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylus, Persians — Morshead translation. Wikisource transcription; speech corresp and card milestones aligned to Smyth perseus-grc2.) — 176 focus
Long while by various visions of the night
Am I beset, since to Ionian lands
165
With marshalled host my son went forth to war.
Yet never saw I presage so distinct
As in the night now passed.—Attend my tale!—
A dream I had: two women nobly clad
Came to my sight, one robed in Persian dress,
170
The other vested in the Dorian garb,
And both right stately and more tall by far
Than women of to-day, and beautiful
Beyond disparagement, and sisters sprung
Both of one race, but, by their natal lot,
175
One born in Hellas, one in Eastern land.
These, as it seemed unto my watching eyes,
Roused each the other to a mutual feud:
The which my son perceiving set himself
To check and soothe their struggle, and anon
180
Yoked them and set the collars on their necks;
And one, the Ionian, proud in this array,
Paced in high quietude, and lent her mouth,
Obedient, to the guidance of the rein.
But restively the other strove, and broke
185
The fittings of the car, and plunged away
With mouth un-bitted: o'er the broken yoke
My son was hurled, and lo! Darius stood
In lamentation o'er his fallen child.
Him Xerxes saw, and rent his robe in grief.
190
German (J. J. C. Donner, 1854; OCR review) (OCR draft) Experimental (Aeschylos. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Stuttgart: Hoffmann, 1854. Native Donner line citations, Smyth card correspondence, selected textual readings and metrical facsimiles. Remaining OCR differences and unattributed reading notes are documented in the linked review inventory.) — 176 focus
Zahllose Traumgesichte suchen jede Nacht
Mein Lager, seit mit aufgebotner Heereskraft
Mein Sohn Verheerung drohend zog in Hellas' Au'n.
Doch keines trat so deutlich noch vor's Auge mir,
165
Wie das der jüngstentschwundnen Nacht. Vernimm es denn!
Zwei Frau'ngestalten schienen mir vor's Angesicht
Zu treten, beide reichgeschmückt, in persischen
Gewanden diese, jene trug ein Dorerkleid.
Hoch ragten sie vor Frauen dieser Zeit hervor
170
An Wuchs und tadellosem Reiz. Desselben Stamms 1
Geschwistern, fiel der einen durch des Looses Wurf
Hellas, der andern Persis' Land als Erbe zu.
Die Beiden, eifernd, also schien's im Traume mir,
Entzweien sich und hadern. Und mein Sohn vernimmt's,
175
Hemmt sie, besänftigt ihren Groll, und schirrte sie
Vor seinen Wagen, legte dann des Joches Last
Auf ihren Hals. Die eine, stolz auf diesen Schmuck,
Bot gern den leichtbeherrschten Mund dem Zaume dar;
Die andre hob sich ungestüm, zertrümmerte
180
Das Noßgeschirr mit den Händen, warf die Zügel ab,
Und rafft es fort gewaltsam, und zerbricht das Joch.
Da stürzte Xerxes, und Dareios trat hinan,
Sein Vater, ihn bejammernd. Kaum erblickte den
Mein Sohn, zerriß er sein Gewand am Leib umher.
185

Commentary

Critical apparatus to The Persians (OCR draft) (Latin and Greek critical apparatus to Gottfried Hermann's 1852 edition of The Persians.) focus

176. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-138

οὗπερ:
περ
omittit G. στείλας:
στείχας
Lips.

178. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-139

ἐναργὲς:
ἐν ἀργές
ex corr. Vit. Antea
ἐν ἀργ ῆς
, cum litura post
γ
, fuisse videtur.

180. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-140

μοι: omittit M. γυναῖκ᾽ εὐείμονε:
γυναῖκες εὐείμονες
Vit.
γυναῖκ᾽ εὐείμονες
Ald. Turn.
γυναῖκ᾽ εὐήμονε
Lips.

182. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-141

ἣ δ᾽ αὖτε:
ἥδ' αὖτε
G. Vit. Lips. Ald. Rob. Δωρικοῖσιν:
περσικοῖσιν
, quamvis etiam in praecedente versu
περσικοῖς
habeat, G.

183. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-142

μεγέθει τε:
μέγεθος
, omisso
τε
, Lips. ἐκπρεπεστάτα:
ἐκπεπρεστάτα
M. aliique et Rob.
εὐπρεπεστάτα
G. aliique et Ald. Turn.
εὐπρεπεσάτα
sic Lips.
εὐπρεπεστάτω
Ven. B. et
ω
ex
α
a correctore facto Vit.

184. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-143

κάλλει τ':
κάλει τ'
Lips. ἀμώμῳ:
ἀμώμῳ
M. Ald. Rob. Sed
ἀμώμω
G. Vit. Lips. Par. A. B. Turn. κασιγνήτα:
κασιγνήτω
Vit. Par. N.

185. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-144

ταὐτοῦ:
τ' αὐτοῦ
M. Ald. Rob.
ταὐτοῦ
G. Lips. Turn.
αὐτοῦ
Mosc. ut Schutzius refert, nisi Vit. nominare voluit, in quo sic est, sed
τ'
in fine praecedentis versus a secunda, ut videtur, manu posito. πάτραν:
πέτραν
Lips.

187. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-145

ὡς ἐγὼ δόκουν ὁρᾶν:
ἐγὼ δόκουν
M. Lips. Turn.
ἐγὼ 'δόκουν
Vit. Ald. Rob.
ἐγὼ ἐδόκουν
G. et supra adscriptum est a sec. manu augmentum in Vit.

188. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-146

τεύχειν ἐν ἀλλήλαισι:
ἐν ἀλλήλαισι
Blomfieldius.
ἐν ἀλλήλῃσι
M. G. aliique et Turn.
ἐν ἀλλήλοισι
Vit. Lips. aliique et
ν
omisso Rob.
ἀλλήλαιν
, omisso
ἐν
, Ald. In infinitivo consentiunt libri, nisi quod ex Par. B. Faehsius affert
τεύχειν ἐν ἀλλήλῃσι. γρ. τεῦχον. ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ τὸ ἐδοξάτην μοι
. V. ad Soph. Ant. 702. 736. μαθὼν:
λαθών
, supra scripto γρ.
μαθών
, Vit.

189-190. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-147

ἅρμασιν δ' υπο ζεύγνυσιν:
ἅρμασιν δ᾽ ὑπο ζεύγνυσιν
M.
ἅρμασι δ᾽ ὑποζεύγυσιν
G. Turn. et commate post
ὑπο
addito Ald. Rob.
ἅρμασι δ᾽ ὑπο ζεύγνυσιν
Vit.
ἅρματι δ᾽ ὑποζεύγνυσιν
Lips. αὐτὰ:
αὐτῷ
G. et ante corr. M.
αὐτῷ
Ald. Rob. ἐπ᾽ αὐχένων:
ὑπαυχένων
M.
ὑπ' αὐχένων
affertur ex Par. L.

192. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-148

ἐν ἡνίαισι δ᾽ εἶχεν:
ἐν ἡνίαισιν εἶχεν
M. Vit. Par. G. L. atque ita scribendum esse coniecit Schaeferus Melet. crit. p. 94. At hoc non est Aeschyleum.
ἐν δ᾽ ἡνίαισιν εἶχεν
Lips. Ceteri
ἐν ἡνίαισι δ᾽ εἶχεν
.

193. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-149

ἔντη δίφρου:
ἐντῆ δίφρου
M. et
δίφρου
habet etiam Lambethanus Blomfieldii, adscriptumque est in Par. B. In margine M. adnotatum
ἐν τῆ βίαι δίφρου χαλινὰ ῥήσσει
. G. Vit. Lips. Ven. A.
ἐν τῆ, δίφρον
. Editiones ante Brunckium
ἐν τῇ δίφρον
. Praeclaram emendationem,
ἔντη δίφρου
, Scaligero surripuit Stanleius.

194. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-hermann1852-appcrit-lat1-150

διασπαράσσει:
διασπαράσσει
Cantabr. 2. et, ut videtur, Ven. A.
διασπαράττει
M. Ceteri
διασπαράττει
.

Commentary (W. S. Teuffel; revised by N. Wecklein, 1886; German; OCR draft) (Persians, explanatory commentary pp. 43–97. Single-witness OCR; source readings and all reference placements require scan review.) focus

176-180. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-teuffel-wecklein1886-com-ger1-27

1
2
Erzählung im Tri- meter. μὲν ... ἀλλά (179), Her- vorhebung des zweiten Gliedes, wie z. B. Hom. Г 214: ἀγόρευε παῦρα μὲν, ἀλλὰ μάλα λιγέως u. oft. στείλ. στρ. parans, movens exerci- tum, Ag. 799. Ἰάονες sanskr. Iavanas, יון. Schol. Ar. Ach. 104: πάντας τοὺς Ἕλληνας Ἰάονας οἱ βάρβαροι ἐκάλουν. Insbesondere aber galt ja der Zug des Xerxes den zum ionischen Stamme gehö- rigen Athenern. τοιόνδ᾽ ἐναργὲς (vgl. 518. Prom. 663) einen solchen deutlichen. εἰδόμην vgl. 48. 62. εὐφρόνης ganz wie νυκτός (200).

181-199. mvp-aeschylus-tlg0085-tlg002-teuffel-wecklein1886-com-ger1-28

3
4
Atossas Traum. Bei δοκεῖν ist Subjekt bald der Träumende (188), bald das Ge- träumte (181 u. Soph. fr. 796 N.: ἐδοξάτην μοι τὼ δύ᾽ ἠπείρω μολεῖν). – ἠσκημένη, κεκοσμημένη. Eur. Ion 326: εὐ ἤσκησαι πέπλοις. – Die spe- zifisch dorische (althellenische, ho- merische, vgl. Herod. V 88: ἤ γε ἑλληνικὴ ἐσθὴς πᾶσα ἡ ἀρχαίη τῶν ام γυναικῶν ἡ αὐτὴ ἦν τὴν νῦν δω- ρίδα καλέομεν) Frauentracht war das ἱμάτιον mit περόναι, im Un- terschiede von dem ionischen χιτών ποδήρης (Herod. 1. 1. Hermann, gr. Privatalt. 22, 2-8). – μεγέθει als göttliches Wesen; s. Liv. I 7 (vgl. VIII 6): habitum formamque viri aliquanto ampliorem augustiorem- que humana. τῶν νῦν ἐκπρεπεστ. brachylogisch s. v. a. ἐκπρεπεστάτα, τῶν νῦν πολὺ ἐκπρεπεστέρα, Kr. II § 49, 10. A. 5. Vgl. Hom. A 505: ὠκυμορώτατος ἄλλων. Β 673: κάλ- λιστος ἀνὴρ τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν, Tac. hist. I 50 solus omnium ante se principum. κασιγνήτα, ur- sprüngliche Zusammengehörigkeit der beiden Erdteile und Völker. - Patriam autem incolebant altera graecam terram sorte nacta, altera barbaram i. e. patriam acceperant incolendam illa Graeciam, haec bar- bariem. κλήρῳ der Geschwister unter einander, wie die Götter (Hom. Ο 191). – βάρβαρον helle- nische Naivetät; 255. 337. – τούτω (188) und αὐτὼ (191), Kr. 58, 1. A. 3. τεύχειν, Kr. 55, 4. A. 7. Vgl. V. 564 f. Soph. Trach. 1238: ἀνὴρ ὅδ᾽, ὡς ἔοικεν, οὐ νεμεῖν ἐμοὶ φθίνοντι μοῖραν. ἢ μὲν, Asia that stolz mit ihrem Aufzug (dem Joch um den Nacken); da- gegen Europa (Hellas) schlug um sich. Eur. fr. 818 Ν.: εἰκὸς σφα- δάζειν ἦν ἦν ἄν, ὡς νεόζυγα πῶλον, χα- λινὸν ἀρτίως δεδεγμένον. – ξυναρ- πάζει βία wie βία φέρειν von Pfer- den, welche durchgehen Soph. El. 725, Eur. Hipp. 1224. ἄνευ χαλι- νῶν der Zügel ledig, sie abwerfend; Gegenteil 193. - πίπτει vom Wagen. σφέ nachhomerisch als Sing., Prom. 9. Sept. 469. 615. Eum. 610. vgl. σφιν 759. όπως temporal in der älteren Sprache, z. B. Hom. M 208: Τρῶες δ᾽ ἐρρίγησαν ὅπως ἴδον αἰόλον ὄφιν. πέπλους in weite- ster Ausdehnung des Begriffs, wie 1060. vgl. 182, ῥήγνυσιν, 125. Von Männern ebenso Herod. III 66. Curt. V 12, 12. Der Schmerz über sein Mifsgeschick steigert sich beim Anblick des Vaters, vgl. 163 f.